vintage inspiration for a modern lifestyle

mumkin

Can you believe October is upon us already? That means it is time to go pumpkin picking! My fave…

Here is an out of the box use for a pumpkin. It becomes a unique fall planter. My SIL dubbed it a “mumkin”…can’t take credit for that one but I sure do love it!

Pick a large pumpkin. Carve the top wide enough to fit a 4 inch or 6 inch plant. Clean out the inside of the pumpkin and let it dry.

Once it is dry, insert the plant leaving it in its nursery pot. It is really important that you leave the pot around the soil. I learned the hard way a few years ago that if you plant the soil in the pumpkin it will rot almost immediately. It is just too much moisture for the pumpkin. Also remove the plant from the pumpkin when watering. Let all of the water drain before re-planting. Try not to get any excess water in the pumpkin.

Then the fun part…decorating! I chose a chocolate brown satin ribbon to contrast with all of the orange. You could use raffia or moss to finish it off or even decorate the pumpkin with glitter.

This is such a cute idea! I have a question though….my pumpkin rotted after just 4 days! I kept the mum in the planter just like you said. I bought a new pumpkin to give it another try. How long should I let the pumpkin dry out? Any other tips that you can give me? How long did your pumpkin last?

Hi Traci – Mine lasted exactly 2 weeks. Here are some additional tips…you have to really gut the pumpkin to get any moisture out. I scrape the last pieces with a spoon. Then I let it dry out for a half day or so. Keep your mumkin in a cool, dry place and preferably shady. If it is inside it will rot from the warmth. Rain and moisture will also make it rot sooner. Good luck! ~Dana

I think it could certainly be done with a watermelon and I love the idea! Be sure to drain all of the moisture which is higher than a pumpkin BUT a watermelon has a sturdier exterior. LEt me know how it goes!

This is such a cute idea! But I think I will use a fake pumpkin. If you live in a high-humidity area (like I do) carved real pumpkins will only last a couple of days. I have friends in dryer climes who have no problems with their Jack-o-lanterns lasting 2 – 3weeks.

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